By JIM BUTLER 

An incumbent prefers no election opponent but opposition with no campaign funds is not so bad. 

Pineville Mayor Joe Bishop is in that position as the May 16 primary approaches. 

According to his most recent report, filed as required by state law, Bishop’s campaign had about $55,000 on hand April 6. 

His opponents, Chris Camp and Rusty Murdoch, did not file for the January 1-April 6 period. Candidates raising or spending $5,000 or less are not required to report. 

Bishop took in $37,000 in the four months and spent about $17,000, about half to Captivate Minds Marketing for campaign work. 

Together with a balance on hand December 31 of about $35,000 his fund closed the period at $54,600. 

Contributors since January 1 included: 

$2,000 – Fontenot & Associates, Louisiana Preferred Properties, Ray Shrock Insurance Agency; 

$1,500 – Jeff Easley, Christopher Tyler; 

$1,000 – Meyer Meyer Lacroix & Hixson, Aurtech Contruction, Central Insurers LLC, Central Insurers of Pineville, ER Rapides Investments, Clarence Fields, Foster Construction, Tommie Granger, Hilborn Enterprises, LA Realtors PAC, Madac Construction, Williams McPherson, Clint Miller, Monkey Business Imports, Jeff Porter, Johnny Porter, Precision Drywall. 

Bishop, Police Jury president when he resigned to accept the appointment as mayor in October 2024 to fill an unexpired term, loaned his fund $500 in June 2025, laying framework for the election process. 

His 2025 year-end report shows fundraising began in earnest in the Fall. 

By year’s end Bishop had raised about $33,000, with expenses of $70. 

Contributors in 2025 included: 

$2,000 – Durand Builders, Fontenot & Associates, Damon Horieh, Jack Rabbit Nursery, KF Investments, Phillip Terrell Campaign, Matthew Ritchie; 

$1,500 – Central Management Company, Teddy T. Price; 

$1,000 – Dallas Acquisitions, Bill Fontenot, Daniel Lonsberry, Mark Wood for Sheriff Campaign Fund, McKay Farms, Pan American Engineers, Randy Tarver, William Vollman.